Trial of Croatian Air Force pilots a political farce

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić Radman was asked to comment on Friday's preliminary hearing in Belgrade for the trial of four retired Croatian Air Force pilots for war crimes against Serb civilians in 1995. The hearing was adjourned for procedural reasons until 16 November.
 
He described the case as a political farce. "It would be a historical and legal paradox that a country that has been convicted several times by international courts as an aggressor should now try members of a victorious army," he said.
 
"It would be an even greater paradox if the disciples and followers of the aggressors Slobodan Milošević and Vojislav Šešelj think that the Croatian government will allow the aggression to continue as part of the non-existent universal jurisdiction," Grlić Radman said.
 
San Marino moves closer to EU
 
San Marino is negotiating an accession agreement with the European Union.
 
"Croatia strongly supports it," underscored Grlić Radman.
 
Croatia and San Marino concluded two cooperation agreements in Zagreb on Saturday, marking the 30 years of diplomatic relations.
 
San Marino is in the process of establishing an accession agreement which does not provide, in an initial stage, for actual entry into the EU but for San Marino to become part of the common market. That will certainly further boost our relations, the country's Foreign Minister Luca Beccari told a joint press conference.
 
He said that San Marino and Croatia shared historical roots, fostering excellent relations and supporting each other in different ways for many years.
 
Bridge wants to topple government
 
Responding to the criticism from opposition MP Nikola Grmoja (Bridge) that the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) was financed by Russian capital, Grlić Radman said that Croatia was the first to condemn the Russian aggression against Ukraine and strongly supported Ukraine's independence and sovereignty, noting that Prime Minister Andrej Plenković was among the few senior officials to have visited Ukraine after the Crimea crisis.
 
He described Grmoja's statement as "a political performance aimed at destabilising the Croatian government, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković and actually toppling this government." He said that it would be wiser for Bridge "to be constructive and contribute to the government's work."
 
Text: Hina/MFEA

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